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URGENT!! Fighting for her life & future - Micheline (10 years), Vanuatu

  • Bilan médical - Noumea

      6 July 2019
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    A tous les ami(e)s de Micheline,

    Ça ne fait même pas 12 mois qu’on a trouvé Micheline dans un état désespéré à quelques heures de la mort. De 18kg, quand nous l’avons trouvée dans le pire état pour voir un être humain, à maintenant 40kg, pleine de vie, de rire et de bonheur est une réalisation incroyable. Il est temps que nous fassions le point sur les progrès de Micheline. Soit dit en passant, Micheline est aussi appelée Missy par beaucoup d’amour.

    LA MAISON DE MISSY

    Comme vous le savez d’après la dernière mise à jour, lorsque Missy est retournée à Vanuatu, elle a été placée auprès de sa tante Ruth et sa famille, qui sont des personnes incroyablement généreuses et gentilles. Notre Missy est non seulement extrêmement chanceuse qu’elle ait survécu à son épreuve, mais aussi très chanceuse qu’elle ait un environnement aussi bienveillant, aimant et sûr où elle peut continuer à guérir et à s’épanouir.

    Ruth prend son rôle pour élever Missy et s’occuper de ses besoins très au sérieux et fait un travail exceptionnel! Ruth prend soin avec amour de Missy et lui fait actuellement aussi l’école et les lessons à la maison avec beaucoup de patience afin de protéger Missy des problèmes qu’elle pourrait éprouver à l’école par des questions des autres élèves ainsi que peut-être des moqueries concernant les cicatrices sur son corps. Heureusement, il n’y en a presque pas sur son visage. Comme vous pouvez l’imaginer, l’enseignement à domicile est un engagement important. La médication que prend actuellement Missy affecte sa capacité d’attention, et Ruth continue avec habileté et patience de persévérer, comprendre l’importance de l’éducation, mais aussi l’impact psychologique potentiel sur Missy si elle allait trop tôt dans une école locale.

    RUTH ET SA FAMILLE

    Nous sommes profondément reconnaissants de tous les soins et de l’amour que vous accordez à Missy, de votre persévérance, de votre soutien et de votre adaptation continue à de nouveaux défis et à de nouveaux apprentissages. Cela nous réconforte tellement après ce que nous avons tous vécu ensemble, que Missy a une vraie maison et les meilleurs gardiens que nous aurions pu souhaiter pour elle. »

    MEDIPOLE DE NOUMEA

    Il était temps de ramener Missy à la clinique en Nouvelle-Calédonie pour ses examens. Il y a quelques semaines, Missy, Ruth et Tobias sont allés à la clinique et Tobias a décrit cela comme une véritable révélation. Vous vous souvenez peut-être qu’après avoir déposé Missy en Nouvelle-Calédonie l’année dernière, Tobias et Nicole n’ont pas pu rester. Beaucoup de gens qui ont soutenu Missy pendant cette période, Tobias ne les avait jamais rencontré avant de ramener Missy ce mois de Juin 2019 au MEDIPOLE. C’était comme si Missy avait le statut VIP.Tout le monde la connaissait quand ils sont arrivés. Il y avait un entourage de personnel à la clinique qui attendait avec impatience de l’accueillir à son arrivée. Tobias dit qu’il était étonné du nombre de liens étroits que Missy a tissés pendant son séjour là-bas. Elle a conquis le cœur de tant de gens; le personnel, les pharmaciens, les infirmières venaient sans cesse la voir. Ils se sont tous battus pour sa survie d’une façon ou d’une autre. Tobias a été tellement touché par cette expérience. Il n’avait aucune idée à quel point Missy a touché tant de gens en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Elle n’est pas seulement une patiente là-bas, elle fait en fait presque partie d’une « famille »; la seule façon de le décrire…

    Contexte : Normalement, l’équipe qui effectue les chirurgies voit un patient une fois. Mais Missy était anesthésiée tous les 2 jours, peu importe qu’il s’agisse de Noël, du Nouvel An ou d’un jour férié et peu importe les coûts. L’équipe était là et a répondu au besoin. Beaucoup de ressources ont été allouées et utilisées. Ce qui était plutôt drôle, c’est que Missy ne connaissait pas l’équipe de chirurgie car elle n’était jamais consciente, mais ils la connaissaient évidemment très bien. Quand nous sommes arrivés, ils sont tous venus la voir, et Missy était un peu bouleversée quand tous ces « étranger l’ont accueillie si merveilleusement.

    L’ÉQUIPE DU DR MISSOTTE :

    « Nous tenons à exprimer notre respect et notre gratitude les plus sincères pour le travail incroyable que vos équipes ont accompli pour permettre à Missy de survivre. L’engagement dont nous avons été témoins sur le plan médical était exceptionnel, mais aussi l’aspect humain de la bonté aimante, des soins inlassables et du soutien 24 heures sur 24, 7 jours sur 7 était sans égal et ce souvenir restera toujours dans nos cœurs et nos esprits. Cela a changé qui nous sommes et nous nous sentons très proches de vous tous qui nous avez aidés lorsque nous avons affronté cet énorme défi. Nous sommes humbles et reconnaissants. Merci à tous pour tous que vous avez fait.

    VÉRIFICATION MÉDICALE

    Missy a eu un contrôle physique qui a mis en évidence un problème avec 3 orteils sur son pied gauche. Ils se sont déformés à la suite des brûlures que Missy avait endurées et, malheureusement, il est trop tôt pour opérer, mais il y a un risque de problèmes de posture plus tard. Il sera surveillé pour l’instant.

    Elle a également subi des analyses sanguines, près de 8 heures de perfusion (médicaments anti-allergiques, médicaments immunodépresseurs Rituximap, etc.), des radiographies, des échographies et un nouveau plan de médicaments a été établi.

    Rituximap devra être administré tous les 6 mois pendant encore 2 ans pour garder son état sous contrôle. Il y a toujours le risque d’attraper des infections car son système immunitaire reste affaibli. Les stéroïdes sont encore administrés, mais seront lentement réduits sur de nombreux mois. Elle doit aussi prendre des antibiotiques tous les deux jours pour réduire le risque d’infection.

    Les vols, les tests et les médicaments ont couté 6800 dollars.

    Missy était très bien soignée et en de bonnes mains. Elle était très heureuse, elle riait beaucoup et prenait tous les soins dans sa foulée. Elle était très détendue avec tous les contrôles et les traitements. Il n’y avait aucune peur, juste la confiance.

    Ruth a dit qu’elle était vraiment contente de pouvoir venir en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Elle a posé de nombreuses questions et obtenu des éclaircissements sur un certain nombre de sujets et se sent mieux équipé pour continuer d’être le gardien de Missy.

    NOTRE SÉJOUR DANS LA NOUVELLE CALEDONIA

    Nous avons été incroyablement chanceux de rester au magnifique

    Hôtel Le Lagon https://lelagon.nc/en/home/

    Le Lagon Hotel Noumea, New Caledonia

    Ideally located in the heart of the tourist area of Noumea, the capital of New Caledonia, hotel Le Lagon is located 100m from beaches, restaurants and shops. Hotel Le Lagon is distinguished by the quality of its modern facilities, its comfort and its service, as well as the variety of free activities and services.

    lelagon.nc

    Quel plaisir! Patrick Cardin, le propriétaire, nous a offert un hébergement gratuit qui était incroyablement généreux et nous n’aurions pas pu rester dans un meilleur endroit. Il nous a aussi offert de nous y rendre gratuitement lors de toute visite future que nous accepterons volontiers.

    PATRICK CARDIN : « Cher Patrick, merci beaucoup de votre générosité de nous avoir permis de séjourner gratuitement dans votre magnifique hôtel.

    L’année dernière, Mr Toebelmann a passé beaucoup de temps avec Missy, son père et sa belle-mère pour les divertir pendant leur séjour. Lors de cette dernière visite, Tobias a rencontré M. Toebelmann pour la première fois, et c’était agréable de voir à quel point Missy et M. Toebelmann étaient proches. Missy était si heureuse de revoir M. Toebelmann, et il est comme un « grand-père » pour elle. Elle aime vraiment être près de lui.Nous n’aurions pas pu être plus à l’aise ! C’est aussi un vrai plaisir d’avoir fait ce lien avec vous. Sans doute, nous nous reverrons ! Ruth & Missy »

    M. TOEBELMANN : « Merci beaucoup pour tout votre temps et vos efforts au cours des derniers mois. C’était très important pour la guérison de Missy d’avoir le soutien et les soins de gens comme vous. Vous êtes devenu un ami important dans la vie de Missy et elle a évidemment vraiment noué des liens avec vous ce qui est merveilleux. Nous nous réjouissons à la perspective de vivre de nombreux autres souvenirs heureux que nous pourrons partager à l’avenir. »

    Il était également temps pour de nouveaux vêtements pour Missy. Nous avons pris le temps de faire un peu de shopping ce qui lui a permis de choisir quelques nouveaux vêtements elle-même. Quelle fille n’aimerait pas cela? Missy appréciait vraiment l’attention et nous remerciait d’avoir pu faire un peu de shopping elle-même ;-).

    Chers amis et sympathisants, voici notre mise à jour pour l’instant. Nous espérons que cela mettra un sourire sur votre visage, consultez la Galerie pour de nouvelles photos, et comme toujours, merci pour votre générosité et votre soutien!

    Jusqu’à la prochaine mise à jour !

    Nicole et Tobias

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  • Back in New Caledonia for medical check-ups

      1 July 2019
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    Dear supporters of Micheline,

    It’s been not even 12 months since we found Micheline in dire condition hours away from death. Going from 18kg, when we found her in the most awful condition to see a human being in, to now 40kg, full of live, laughter and happiness is an incredible achievement. It’s timely that we provide an update on Micheline’s progress. By the way, Micheline is also lovingly called Missy by many.

    MISSY'S HOME

    As you know from the last update, when Missy returned to Vanuatu, she was placed with her aunty Ruth and family, who are incredibly generous and kind people. Our Missy is not just extremely lucky she survived her ordeal but is also very fortunate that she has such a caring, loving and safe environment where she can continue to heal and flourish. Ruth is taking her role to raise Missy and look after her needs very seriously and is doing an exceptional job! Ruth lovingly takes care of Missy and currently also patiently home schools her to safe Missy the trouble she may experience at school from questions and possibly being mocked about her scars on her body. Luckily there are nearly none on her face. As you can imagine, home schooling is a big commitment. The medication Missy is currently on, affects her attention span, and Ruth skilfully and patiently continues to persevere, understanding the importance of education but also the potential psychological impact on Missy if she went too soon to a local school.

    RUTH & FAMILY: “Ruth & family, we are deeply grateful for all your care and love you give to Missy, your perseverance, support and continued adaption to new challenges and learnings. It gives us so much comfort after what we all have been through together, that Missy has a real home and the best caretakers we could have wished for her.”

    NEW CALEDONIA HOSPITAL

    It was time to take Missy back to the clinic in New Caledonia for her check-ups. A couple of weeks ago, Missy, Ruth and Tobias went together to the clinic and Tobias described this as a real eye opener. You may remember that after dropping off Missy in New Caledonia last year, Tobias and Nicole weren’t able to stay and many of the people who supported Missy during that time, Tobias had never met before until now when he took Missy back to the clinic. It was like Missy had VIP status. Everyone knew her when they arrived. There was an entourage of staff at the clinic waiting eagerly to greet her at her arrival. Tobias said that he was amazed how many close connections Missy made during her time there. She captured the hearts of so many; staff, pharmacists, nurses kept coming to see her. They all fought for her survival in one way or the other. Tobias was so humbled by this experience. He had no idea how deeply Missy impacted so many people in New Caledonia. She isn’t just a patient there, she is actually almost part of a ‘family’; the only way to describe it….

    Some context: Normally the team who performs surgeries, they see a patient once. But Missy was anaesthetised every 2 days regardless if it was Christmas, New Year or a public holiday and regardless of costs. The team was there for here and responded as needed. A lot of resources were allocated and used. What was kind of funny, was that Missy actually didn’t know any of the surgery team as she was never conscious, but they obviously knew her very well. When we arrived, they all came to see her, and Missy was a little bit overwhelmed when all these ‘strangers’ greeted her so wonderfully.

    DR MISSOTTE’S TEAM: “We would like to express our uttermost respect and gratitude for the incredible work your teams performed to enable Missy’s survival. The commitment we witnessed medically was outstanding but also the human aspect of loving kindness, tireless care and support 24 x 7 was second to none and will always live in our hearts and minds. It has changed who we are and we feel a very close bond to all of you who helped us when we faced this huge challenge. We are humbled and grateful. Thank you all for what you accomplished.”

    MEDICAL CHECK UP

    Missy had a physical check up which highlighted an issue with 3 toes on her left foot. They have deformed as a result of the burns Missy had endured and unfortunately it is too early to operate but carries a risk of posture issues later. It will be monitored for now.

    She also had blood tests, nearly 8 hours of infusions (anti-allergy medication, Rituximap immune suppressing medication etc), X-rays, ultrasounds and a new medication plan has been established.

    Rituximap will need to be administered every 6 months for another 2 years to keep her condition under control. It does carry the risk of catching infections as her immune system remains suppressed. Steroids are still being administered but will be slowly reduced over many months. She also has to take antibiotics every couple of days to reduce the risk of infections.

    All up the flights, tests and medication cost a wopping NZ$6800.

    Missy is in excellent care and in good hands. She was very happy, laughed a lot and took it all in her stride. She was very relaxed with all the check up and treatments. There is no fear, just trust.

    Ruth said that she was really glad she could come along to New Caledonia. She asked many questions and got clarification on a number of topics and feels better equipped to continue being Missy’s caretaker.

    OUR STAY IN NEW CALEDONIA

    We were incredibly lucky staying at the gorgeous

    Hotel Le Lagon https://lelagon.nc/en/home/

    What a treat! Patrick Cardin, the owner, offered us free accommodation which was incredibly generous and we couldn’t have stayed at a better place. He also offered us to stay there for free again during any future visits which we will gladly accept.

    PATRICK CARDIN: “Dear Patrick, thank you very much for your generosity letting us stay at no charge at your beautiful hotel. We couldn’t have been more comfortable! It is also a real pleasure to have made this connection with you. No doubt, we will see each other again! Ruth & Missy”

    Last year, Mr Toebelmann spent a lot of time with Missy, her dad and stepmother entertaining them during their stay. During this last visit, Tobias met Mr Toebelmann for the first time, and it was lovely to see how close Missy and Mr Toebelmann are. Missy was so happy to see Mr Toebelmann again, and he is like a ‘granddad type’ figure to her. She really enjoys being around him.

    MR TOEBELMANN: "Thank you so much for all your time and effort over the last months. It clearly was so important for Missy’s healing to have the support and care of people like you. You have become an important friend in Missy’s life and she has obviously really bonded with you which is wonderful. We look forward to many more happy memories we can share in the future.”

    It was also time for new clothing for Missy. We took her shopping and allowed her to choose some new clothes herself. Which girl wouldn’t love that?? Missy was definitely appreciating the attention and thanked us for being able to do a little shopping herself ;-).

    Friends and supporters, this is our update for now. We hope this put a smile on your face, check out the Gallery for new pictures, and as always, thank you for your generosity and support!

    Until the next update!

    Kind regards,

    Nicole and Tobias

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  • Saving Micheline Next Chapter

      8 March 2019
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    Dear all!

    This is our last update on this Givealittle page. Micheline is doing well and will be moving to Espiritu Santos Island in Vanuatu to live with her aunt, Australian uncle and their 13 year old son. The aunt is currently homeschooling her son and has commited to providing the same learning opportunities to Micheline.

    Micheline will need to travel to New Caledonia 4 times a year. We are starting a new Givealittle site to start assisting her with the next chapter in her life.

    https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/saving-micheline-next-chapter-the-battle-continues

    These trips to New Caledonia will be costly. A day at hospital is NZD$ 2000 and we are fully commited to enable her to continue on her path of recovery.

    We want to thank you all for your incredible support over the last few months.

    This story isn't over and we would be most grateful if you could please continue to follow and support us Micheline on her jouney.

    Please also view the Gallery as it has new photos and also a break down of all costs that we so far accumulated. It has always been our intention to be transparent, and will continue to do so.

    Kind regards,

    Tobias & Nicole

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  • Good bye New Caledonia | Phase 2 begins

      11 February 2019
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    Dear all!

    It's hard to believe but last week, Micheline travelled back to Vanuatu with her father and stepmother.

    It's a massive milestone. Micheline's condition is under control now with the medication. She hasn't formed any blisters for a few weeks now, but it is a life long condition which will require her to take medication for the rest of her life.

    Being back in Vanuatu means for us now that we are entering 'phase 2 - Keeping Micheline well and enabling her future'.

    So where from here:

    1. Micheline cannot go back to Pentecost. The island does not have medical facilities and the environment could be a risk to her well being and survival.

    Micheline has two aunties in places where there are medical facilities and we are looking at placing her with one of them.

    It is critical to her well being that she is cared for in a clean and caring environment where her condition is monitored and medication reliably administered.

    2. We are currently working with Dr Misotte from the hospital in New Caledonia and a skin specialist from Germany on a monitoring plan on what to do when things deteriorate. Micheline is also required to go to New Caledonia hospital for check ups and tests every 3 months.

    3. Education is big item for us. Micheline needs to be educated so that she can have a job one day looking after her own medical needs. We are looking at a number of schools, including private schools that will enable her enough to become, for example, a nurse. Micheline will need to be able to finance visits to overseas facilities at some point in her life, so being educated is critical to enable her to do so.

    4. Her psychological well being must also be considered. We must not forget that this is a trauma situation and as she settles into a new life and routines, memories will prompt questions. We want to ensure she has an environment that supports her emotional needs.

    All this isn't without challenges as you can imagine. Tobias is in Vanuatu currently trying to establish this framework.

    We would like to mention that the hospital bills have been paid for now. We paid NZD167,000 for the hospital bill alone.

    This was funded largely with the money raised through this site, as well as some private donations we received.

    The next phase will require substantial funding again to ensure we can get her to New Caledonia every three months (accompanied by a reliable adult) and pay for her living expenses and possibly education fees, if deemed required.

    We truly appreciate your continued support and any additional donations you are able to make to help finance what's ahead of us.

    We also want to acknowledge the entire medical team that worked relentlessly for Micheline to get her back to the state she is in today.

    Also a huge Thank You! to Dr Przemek Sobolewski and Mr Burkard Töbelmann who tirelessly looked after Micheline and her family's wellbeing ranging from outings, personal logistics, visa extensions through to arranging an apartment for the family to stay in for the last weeks before their departure. They financed all this themselves and we are incredibly grateful for their time and support.

    Micheline is an incredible little girl. Her survival is a miracle to us.

    And you never know... maybe one day she will be able to give hope and help to others.

    She already has touched many hearts that have come in direct or indirect contact with her and her story.

    She left a ripple effect and made many of us reflect on our lives with gratitude.

    This isn't over for a number of years. It is our hope that this ripple effect will continue, and that Micheline will continue to receive the support she deserves and make a difference in people's lives in her own personal way.

    Please continue following and supporting Micheline.

    Kind regards,

    Tobias & Nicole

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  • Happy Birthday Micheline!

      17 January 2019
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    Dear all

    If you have a look at the Gallery pictures you will see the massive progress Micheline has made over the last weeks since she was transferred to New Caledonia. It really is incredible how much she has improved. Micheline had her 11th birthday on the 6th of January. A significant birthday given that she was near death and a very ill girl only a few months ago.

    You can see how happy and content she looks.

    During her stay in hospital, Micheline has been provided with school lessons, lots of physiotherapy and also was able to do art work to keep her stimulated, healthy and busy.

    But there is still the long journey ahead to ensure full recovery and continued management of her condition.

    For 3 weeks now Micheline has had no formation of blisters. Her skin is healing. She finally can walk again and has control of her toiletting needs which is really amazing progress. The Doctors are trying to find that 'sweet spot' dosis where the medication is just enough to keep the blisters under control. Micheline will need to take these meds for the rest of her life. It will always be a challenge to keep the medication dosis at the right level.

    Further rehabilitation is required to get her back to full health, fully functioning. There is a rehabilitation centre opposite the hospital. It's for adults only but they have agreed to take Micheline for a months or so until she is in a state where she has fully recovered.

    The challenge here is that she needs to have an adult with her full time, and her dad's visa is nearing expiry and he will have to return very soon to Vanuatu. We are trying to get her stepmother Melanie to come out. She will need a passport issued, and currently there aren't any spare passports in Vanuatu, so we have to wait until a new supply arrives there and one can be issued for her. We are hoping that this will all be done within the next 2 weeks so Micheline can move across to the Rehabilitation clinic.

    If everything goes according to plan, we will start planning her transition back to Vila, Vanuatu in about 6 weeks. Micheline won't be able to go back to her village Pentecost; she will need to stay in the main centre near the hospital with a relative.

    We look forward to sharing more progress with you soon again!

    Thanks again to all of you for reading this and your ongoing support. What a massive difference we have all made!

    Nicole & Tobias

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  • Merry Christmas | many smiles | progress

      28 December 2018
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    Dear friends & supporters,

    We hope you all had a good Christmas, some restful days and lovely new memories with family and friends.

    It's been a very busy time for us and a little while since our last update.

    As you are aware, the main focus has been on getting Micheline's medication dose adjusted to a point where the blisters (that form due to her auto-immune disorder) stop appearing, the skin can heal and the extensive dressing changes are no longer necessary.

    This has been really challenging to achieve, but we can report that for just over a week now blisters have stopped forming. We were all so thrilled when we heard the news, it really is such a big deal.

    Micheline's immune system has been driven down to a point now where the steroids are doing their job, the body is responding to the treatment and Micheline is making real good progress.

    The burn wounds have nearly fully healed. The skin on Micheline's body has many scars and the remaining lesions are also finally healing. It is a huge milestone and everyone is so happy, and Micheline is full of smiles.

    Micheline still can't walk and she is still not in control of her muscles for toileting etc, but it's massive progress to have her condition under control! We are all hoping and wishing that the treatment success continues.

    For now the Doctors want to keep her at the hospital until mid January (it will be 2 months then); next steps will be assessed and we will see if she is ready to move into a rehabilitation facility near the hospital.

    FYI - We mentioned in earlier posts that we have a nurse from Switzerland who had offered to take care of Micheline.

    It was decided that this was no longer necessary due to the excellent care and environment Micheline is in in New Caledonia.

    Instead she has now gone to Africa to continue her work there in women's health.

    We want to thank you all for your generosity over the last months.

    Your donations have made all the difference in the world.

    We are fully committed to Micheline and are in it for the long haul.

    We are hoping to get more publicity in the new year and will also be looking at some more fundraising activities to continue raising funds for Micheline's continued care and her dad's living expenses in New Caledonia and eventually back in Vanuatu.

    Micheline has the most gorgeous smile and laughter. Please check out the photo where she was given a Barbie doll. There is also a video where she giggles and it's so delightful! We hope this will make you also very happy to see.

    You all have made this happen, enabled her to survive and get her health to were it is today.

    You and hundreds of others have helped this little girl. Something we can all truly be proud of.

    We wish you and your families a fantastic 2019, filled with love, new adventures, wonderful memories and most of all good health, laughter and maybe some dreams come true.

    With love,

    Tobias & Nicole

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  • Histoire originale dans le français | Original story in french

      27 November 2018
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    Pour nos Amis Français du Vanuatu, de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Tahiti et ailleurs dans le monde nous avons tenté de traduire au mieux le récit de notre site en Anglais.

    Nous nous tournons vers vous pour votre aide. Lisez s'il vous plaît ce récit.

    NOTRE RECIT:

    Nous sommes une famille de l'Allemagne, qui a navigué dans le monde entier pendant quelques années et notre base est maintenant à Auckland en Nouvelle-Zélande.

    Lors d'une aventure récente sur notre bateau (en Septembre 2018) dans le Pacifique Sud, nous sommes arrivés à la belle île de Pentecôte au Vanuatu.

    Https: // www.vanuatu.travel/en/provinces/penama-province/Pentecôte

    Un homme local s'est approché de nous et nous a demandé si nous avions des médicaments à bord pour aider sa petite-fille malade. Nous avons eu aucune idée à quoi s'attendre et avons bien sûr consenti à venir au village pour voir ce que nous pouvons faire. Nous avons trouvé une petite fille dans une condition physique grave, entre la vie et la mort.

    C'était l'état le plus terrible dans lequel on puisse voir un autre être humain, particulièrement un enfant et c'était un moment profond dans nos vies qui a eu un impact sur nous très profondément et nous a changés personnellement pour toujours.

    Nous avons dû l'emmener immédiatement à un hôpital. Elle était évacué par avion à Vila peu de temps après, et le fait d'être déplacé et transporté était une expérience incroyablement douloureuse pour elle et c'est déjà un miracle qu'elle à pu survivre à ce voyage.

    Micheline était sous-alimenté (19.5kg!), déshydraté, ses analyses de sang ont indiqué qu'elle a de la chance d'être toujours vivante. Nous l'avons trouvée juste à temps. Elle n'aurait pas survécu beaucoup plus longtemps.

    Plus que la moitié de son corps été couvert par des lésions de la peau et aussi quelques brûlures que nous ne sommes pas sûrs d'où ils provenaient. Ses lésions ont été couvertes par la saleté et des mouches. Elle était à peine sensible.

    Nous avons pris des dispositions pour le sang et les tests de peau ont eté envoyés en Australie (Vanuatu n'a pas de laboratoires pour ce type de tests) et ils ont découvert que Micheline souffre d'une affection cutanée auto-immune très rare Pemphigus Vulgaris.

    Https: // en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pemphigus_vulgari s

    Ce désordre cause des lésions de peau et des ampoules et si non traité, aboutit à la mort.

    Tristement, nous avons appris qu'il apparaît que sa mère est morte de la même maladie il y a 5 ans. Elle n'a pas reçu de traitement. C'est le plus tragique, parce que bien que ce désordre ne puisse pas être guéri, c'est très traitable si prise en charge sans délai.

    Dans la culture de Micheline la magie noire est une coutume, pratiquée fréquemment et la famille espérait que leurs rituels culturels l'aideraient.

    Http://dailypost.vu/opinion/letters_to_editor/black-magic-and-witchcraft/article_2411 1eed-9878-5974-ab66- a723de07afc7.html

    Micheline a été sans traitement pendant 4 mois depuis l'apparition des symptômes ont et sa santé a détérioré rapidement. Pendant ce temps elle a dû supporter la douleur incroyable, physiquement et mentalement mais elle n'a jamais renoncé et s'accrochait à sa jeune vie.

    Vous pouvez imaginer comment ceci a eu un impact sur nous personnellement et comment ceci a créé une conviction pour aider cet être humain à rester en vie et vivre une vie qui vaut la peine de vivre. Nous ne pouvons pas nous éloigner et la laisser à son destin qui aurait abouti inexorablement à sa mort.

    Micheline est actuellement à l'hôpital de Vila (Annotation Novembre 2018: elle est à l'heure actuelle à Nouméa au MEDIPOL, car les médecins ont par la suite préconisé son transfert ici à Nouméa) . Elle a immédiatement reçu des des transfusions sanguins et des antibiotiques et nous avons réussi à obtenir des conseils quotidiens de notre réseau limité (d'autres marins, Medbee l'Europe, Marine(fusilier marin) (le fusilier marin) Atteint NZ, DEBRA NZ et l'ONU dermatologue de l'Hôpital de Starship d' Auckland).

    Les ressources à l'hôpital sont très limitées et tout le monde, particulièrement des infirmières font des miracles afin de soulager sa douleur et améliorer sa situation.

    Nous sommes incroyablement reconnaissant pour l'assistance reçu; c'est encore tôt et beaucoup reste à faire en urgence.

    Elle a maintenant commencé la thérapie de stéroïde pour son désordre auto-immunisé.Micheline a commencé à manger et son poids augmente ce qui est un progrès.

    Le corps de Micheline a des blessures de pression très profondes du fait de rester beaucoup de mois sans se déplacer. Tous les deux jours ses pansements doivent être changés ce qui est extrêmement douloureux pour elle et c'est maintenant fait (contrairement qu'auparavant) sous l'influence de morphine.

    Pour réduire au minimum l'épreuve douloureuse, on a fait venir des habillements spéciales,qui ne tient collent pas à ses blessures ouvertes) de l'étranger. Ces habillements sont extrêmement chers et ne sont pas disponibles à Port Vila. Nous les commandons actuellement à Tahiti et avons reçu aussi des donations d'autres gens généreux de différents pays.

    Micheline n'a pas marché pendant (depuis) de nombreux mois. Elle est si faible et tous ses muscles ont disparu. Elle devra apprendre à marcher de nouveau.

    NOTRE DÉFI ACTUEL

    Le grand défi est que idéalement Micheline devrait être transféré à un hôpital occidental, comme l'Hôpital Starship, Auckland. Micheline ne peut pas prendre un vol commercial et aurait besoin d'un charter sanitaire spécial. Annotation Novembre 2018: elle a été hospitalisé depuis au MEDIPOL Nouméa.

    Nous travaillons actuellement avec des collectivités locales, des agences et des organisations pour voir ce qui peut être fait.

    Ces choses prennent du temps et ils sont compliqués et nous devons assurer pour le moment, que le soin de Micheline à Vila est garanti et son traitement contrôlé et répondu immédiatement si quoi que ce soit change.

    C'est critique, parce que le corps de Micheline est toujours vulnérable aux infections et son corps est toujours sous-alimenté bien que nous soyons plus heureux avec son progrès et prise de poids.

    Tobias est toujours actuellement à Port Vila et a arrangé un acte de naissance et des passeports pour Micheline, son papa et la belle-mère afin de préparer le départ quand ce sera le moment.

    On ce moment (fin Novembre 2018) nos besoins sont surtout d’ordre financières, car nous devons faire face a de lourdes dépenses d’hôpital et de soins:

    + Nous prévoyons les dépenses suivantes

    + Adaptation(logement) et dépenses alimentaires - pour le père de Micheline pendant son séjour au MEDIPOLE Le voyage et des dépenses locales - pour Micheline et ses parents pour recevoir des soins médicaux spécialisés

    + La réadaptation - par exemple pour construire des muscles et la promenade de nouveau

    Nous sommes totalement commis pour soutenir Micheline, pour qu'elle puisse retourner à son village et continuer à vivre sa vie et retourner à l'école. Micheline a encore 4 frères et soeurs qu'elle manque beaucoup. Votre donation aidera à prendre des dispositions que sa famille lui rend visite.

    Nous prévoyons entièrement fournir le soutien continu au cours des prochaines années jusqu'à ce que Micheline soit assez agée pour s'occuper de ses besoins médicaux elle-même.

    VEUILLEZ NOTEZ POUR VOTRE DONATION

    Les gens nous ont demandé comment ils peuvent aider Micheline et comment ils peuvent nous soutenir.

    Nous voulons que vous sachiez que tous les fonds levés iront seulement vers le rétablissement de Micheline, la gestion de sa maladie auto-immunisé et les dépenses de sa famille.

    Il a été évalué, qu'un transfert au MEDIPOLE et tous les coûts associés pourrait facilement vont finir par coûter(évaluer) autour de NZD800,000, par conséquent nous avons configuré ce site.

    N'importe quelles dépenses que nous et nos soutiens encourons (par exemple notre propre voyage et frais d'hébergement à Vanuatu ou ailleurs etc) seront couvertes par nous mêmes.

    De plus, chaque donation faite, encourt les honoraires de service de 5 % du site « qui vont Donner Un peu ». Nous couvrons ces honoraires nous-mêmes pour que chaque dollar de donation soit alloué à ce but.

    Micheline est dans la condition critique et il y a toujours les risques qui pourraient avoir un impact sur la chance de survie de Micheline. Si Micheline ou sa famille n'exigent plus de l'assistance, tous les fonds restants seront faits don à l'Hôpital Vila.

    Quotidiennement constatons la résistance incroyable de Micheline et la force qui revient. Cela alimente notre force et engagement de faire ce voyage avec elle et continuer à se battre avec et pour elle.

    Merci de lire cette histoire . Votre support et bonté nous signifient beaucoup!

    Nicole et Tobias

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  • 2 weeks in New Caledonia | German & French supporters

      27 November 2018
    Main image

    NOTE

    We have updated the Overview front page to reflect the current state. Please read the Overview page in addition to this update.

    The original words can still be found under updates.

    NEW CALEDONIA HOSPITAL 2 WEEKS

    Micheline has now been at hospital in New Caledonia over 2 weeks and is in excellent care. Treatment is proving to be challenging getting the medication doses right to ensure her immunity is suppressed enough so that blisters stop forming and her skin can heal. We are confident she will get there, but it will take time considering the near death state she was in 2 months ago.

    The additional challenge is the fact that she has lost mobility. She needs extensive rehabilitation and physiotherapy so that she can walk again and has control of her toileting needs. There is a rehabilitation clinic opposite the hospital and we are in discussions whether they would be able to facilitate her needs and associated costs.

    OUR CHALLENGE

    What is critical for us right now is ensuring Micheline's continuous treatment at New Caledonia hospital.

    We pay approximately NZD 2000 per day for her care plus her auto-immune suppressing medication which currently costs NZD 13,460 but may increase if she requires more.

    So far we have spent NZD 65,000 on hospital care and medication (refer to picture which shows the bill from the hospital).

    We need further funds to ensure we can sustain her continuous care to get her to a point where she is well enough to live back in Vanuatu under medical supervision.

    Realistically, we need to ensure she can stay in New Caledonia at least 3 or 4 months.

    Our plea for financial support continues and we are asking that anyone reading this, please share this story with the people in your networks or contact us directly if you have any other resources through which this story can be told.

    Micheline is a strong little girl. She is smart, patient and grateful; we fell in love with her spirit and want her to have the life that she deserves. But we need ongoing financial support.

    GERMAN SUPPORTERS

    Please note, that under Gallery you can find an article that was recently published in Germany.

    FRENCH SUPPORTERS

    This article was published today in New Caledonia:

    https://www.lnc.nc/breve/une-cagnotte-ouverte-sur-internet-pour-soigner-micheline-evasanee-du-vanuatu

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  • Original front page story in English

      26 November 2018
    Main image

    Note, our front page story has been updated. Below is the original story we published previously:

    OUR STORY

    We are a family from Germany, who have been sailing around the world for a few years and our base is now in Auckland, New Zealand.

    On a recent adventure on our boat (September) through the South Pacific, we arrived at the beautiful island of Pentecost in Vanuatu. https://www.vanuatu.travel/en/provinces/penama-province/pentecost

    A local man approached us and asked if we had medication on board to help his sick grand daughter. We had no idea what to expect and of course agreed to come to the village to see what we can do. We found a little girl in a grave physical condition, barely responding.

    It was the most awful state to see another human being in, especially a child, and a profound moment in our lives that has impacted us so deeply and changed us personally forever.

    We had to get her immediately to a hospital. She was air lifted to Vila shortly after, being moved and transported, an incredibly painful experience for her and a miracle that she survived.

    Micheline was malnourished (19.5kg!), dehydrated, her blood tests indicated that she is lucky to be still alive. We found her just in time. She would have not lasted much longer.

    More than half of her body was covered in skin lesions and also some burns which we aren't sure where they originated from. Her lesions were covered in dirt and flies. She was barely responsive.

    We arranged for blood and skin tests to be sent to Australia (Vanuatu doesn't have labs for these type of tests), and discovered that Micheline suffers from a very rare auto-immune skin disorder Pemphigus Vulgaris. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pemphigus_vulgaris

    This disorder causes skin lesions and blisters, and if not treated, results in death. Sadly, we learned that it appears her mother died from the same disease 5 years ago. She didn't receive treatment. This is most tragic, because even though this disorder can't be cured, it is very treatable if addressed without delay.

    In Micheline's culture black magic is a custom, practiced frequently, and the family was hoping that their cultural rituals would help her. http://dailypost.vu/opinion/letters_to_editor/black-magic-and-witchcraft/article_24111eed-9878-5974-ab66-a723de07afc7.html

    Micheline was left untreated for 4 months from when her symptoms first appeared and her health deteriorated fast. During this time she had to tolerate unbelievable pain, physically and mentally but she never gave up and was holding on to her young life.

    You can imagine how this impacted us personally, and how this created a conviction to help this human being survive and live a life worth living. We cannot walk away and leave her to her destiny which will result in her death.

    Micheline is currently in Vila Hospital. She immediately received blood infusions and antibiotics and we have managed to get daily guidance from our limited network (other sailors, Medbee Europe, Marine Reach NZ, DEBRA NZ and a dermatologist from Auckland Starship Hospital).

    Resources in the hospital are very limited, and everyone, especially nurses performing miracle work to improve her situation.

    We are incredibly humbled by the support we have received; it is still early days and much more is urgently needed.

    She has now started steroid therapy for her auto-immune disorder. Micheline started to eat and her weight is increasing which is progress.

    Micheline’s body has very deep pressure-wounds from lying many months without moving. Every two days dressings have to be changed which is extremely painful for her and is now done (unlike recently) under the influence of morphine.

    To minimise the excruciatingly painful ordeal, we source specialized dressings (that don't stick to her open wounds) from overseas. These dressings are extremely expensive and are not available in Vila. We currently order them from Tahiti and have received also donations from other generous people in different countries.

    Micheline has not been walking for many months. She is so weak and all her muscles have faded away. She will need to learn how to walk again.

    OUR CURRENT CHALLENGE

    The big challenge is that ideally Micheline should be transferred to a western hospital, like Starship Hospital, Auckland. Micheline cannot take a commercial flight and would need a special med-evac charter.

    We are currently working with local authorities, agencies, and organisations to see what can be done.

    These things take time and they are complicated and we need to ensure for now, that Micheline's care in Vila is secured and her treatment monitored and responded to immediately if anything changes.

    This is critical, because Micheline's body is still vulnerable to infections and her body is still malnourished even though we are most pleased with her progress and weight gain.

    Tobias is still currently in Vila and has arranged a birth certificate and passports for Micheline, her dad and step mother in preparation for departure when the time comes.

    Right now we need help with the following:

    + Dressings material - e.g. UrgoCell Ag/Silver, Urgo surgifix, Medicomp compress steril, ialuset

    creme

    + Protein powder - nutrition drinks & protein shakes for children

    + Contacts - any contacts you may have in your networks that could assist in any way (e.g. to

    organisations, medical contacts etc) please contact us directly: nicole.mueller@live.co.uk

    We anticipate the following expenses

    + Accommodation & food expenses - for Micheline's family while based in Vila

    + Travel & local expenses - for Micheline and her parents to receive specialised medical care offhore.

    + Rehabilitation - e.g. to build muscles and walk again

    We are totally committed to support Micheline, so that she can go back to her village and continue living her life and go back to school. Micheline has 4 more brothers and sisters whom she misses a lot. Your donation will help to arrange for her family to visit her.

    We fully anticipate to provide ongoing support over the next years until Micheline is old enough to take care of her medical needs herself.

    NOTE ABOUT YOUR DONATION

    People have been asking us how they can help Micheline and how they can support us.

    We want you to know that all funds raised will solely go towards Micheline's recovery, the management of her auto-immune disorder and her family's expenses.

    It has been estimated, that a transfer to NZ and all associated costs could easily end up costing around NZD800,000, hence we have set up this site.

    Any expenses that we and our supporters incur (e.g. our own travel and accommodation expenses to Vanuatu etc) will be covered by ourselves.

    In addition, every donation made, incurs a 5% service fee which goes to Give a Little. We are covering this fee ourselves so that every dollar donated will be allocated to this purpose.

    Micheline is in critical condition and there are still risks that could impact Micheline's survival chance. If Micheline or her family no longer require support, all remaining funds will be donated to Vila Hospital.

    Daily we see Micheline's incredible resilience and strength to survive. This fuels our strength and commitment to walk this journey with her and continue fighting with and for her.

    Thanks for reading this story. Your support, kindness and care means a lot to us!

    Nicole & Tobias

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  • New Caledonia Hospital | Things we take for granted

      12 November 2018
    Main image

    NEW CALEDONIA HOSPITAL

    On Thursday we made our journey across to New Caledonia. Micheline and her dad (his name is Haston) coped well on their first commercial flight. As you can imagine, there was some anxiety around how the flight would go and what would happen once we get there.

    At our arrival, Doctor Isabelle Missotte, the head of paediatric care, and an entourage of medical staff awaited us. Dr Missotte is an incredibly kind and caring person, which has been helpful for Micheline to settle in and build trust.

    The hospital exceeded our expectations. It is a state of the art, modern clinic and they had fully prepared for our arrival.

    After settling in, Micheline was sedated so that she could be thoroughly examined without causing her pain or stress. They performed many tests, scans, checked and cleaned all her wounds. The tests were all good, they ensured she has no hepatitis, HIV, cancer, they checked her liver, kidneys, performed CT scans, you name it....

    She didn't need any surgery for now as all her wounds and lesions are healing ok.

    The medical staff said that she isn't in great condition, and the care she received at Vila ensured her survival and adequate management of her lesions. It is more than timely now to get her into specialist care and we know we made the right decision sending her here.

    All the tests came out ok and treatment can now fully start on her autoimmune disorder.

    This means that her immunity needs to be fully supressed and her steroid treatment increased so that the blisters which have been coming back can no longer form.

    The strategy is that once the skin has fully recovered and the body has responded to the treatment, the autoimmune disorder should go into remission. It will never go completely away but should be manageable with a continuous treatment plan and monitoring.

    FUNDING SUMMARY

    To date we have received nearly NZD $68,000 in donations.

    The hospital bill for 1 months is NZD $50,890. This includes care, tests and treatment.

    In addition, we have also been asked to pay for Immunoglobulin und Rituximap medicine, which costs NZD $13,460.

    This medicine is most effective but extremely expensive and is used to 'drive down' her immunity.

    We had expenses for our flights on Air Vanuatu, but also want to mention that Air Vanuatu gave us a discounted rate and the flexibility to change flights if required at no extra charge.

    It is also timely to thank you, our supporters, again for all your generosity, messages and support. We need to continue raising funds to assist Micheline. Please feel free to share this story with your networks, Facebook etc.

    Our thoughts at the moment are that it may be best to keep Micheline and her dad Haston in an 'outpatient' situation in an apartment in New Caledonia after her month is up at the hospital. We believe that she needs to stay near the hospital for some time yet, until we have green light for her to go back to Vanuatu and continue her treatment plan there.

    THINGS WE TAKE FOR GRANTED

    Here are some snippets of some laughs, paradigm shifts and moments of relief:

    [1] Soft drinks -

    When asked by the flight attendant which drink Micheline would like to choose, she answered: "ALL" :-). She managed to taste her way through a number of beverages.

    [2] Elevators -

    We all had to get into the elevator at the hospital, not thinking of course that Micheline or her dad Haston never seen one or even knew they existed! The reaction of Haston was priceless when he got in and then realised what it did.

    [3] Culture shock -

    Haston didn't know what the western world is like and can't believe how amazing hospitals and medicine can be. He doesn't understand why the hospital in Vila is so basic in comparison with this one.

    [4] Smart phone / internet -

    Haston has discovered Burger King and free Wi-Fi. So many new impressions for him and he talks a lot to Micheline's step mum back in Vanuatu describing his new experiences.

    [5] Not rush -

    When Tobias walks anywhere, Haston takes his time. He isn't used to walking fast, at Pentecost it's island life and no one is ever in a rush. So when they walk around the hospital or the streets, Haston takes his time and often falls behind a few hundred metres and eventually catches up. Definitely a lesson to learn for us westerners who are always rushing from A to B. ;-))

    [6] Help never stops coming -

    Wonderful people are truly everywhere. People are trying to find contacts for Micheline's dad so that he can make new connections and doesn't feel isolated during his stay. It will take time for him to adjust to this world, there is lots to learn and he has many questions.

    [7] Education -

    Micheline loves the TV that she has access to all day on her bed. She also reads books, draws a lot but it was recognised that she needs much more stimulation. Someone organised a teaching resource to come in from next week onwards to provide her with a school routine while in hospital.

    [8] Hand over -

    Tobias and Dr Sebastian (the volunteer paediatrician from Vienna who has been helping in Vanuatu and is also in New Caledonia right now) are able to hand over now to the medical experts and support people. Tobias is going back to NZ to see his family and Dr Sebastian is going back to Vanuatu.

    They will keep in touch daily with Micheline, Haston and the medical staff but both have to go back to their own lives for now. At the end of November our nurse Nicole from the Uniklinik Zurich will come to New Caledonia and look after Micheline and Haston full time for 3 months. In between, we will be visiting of course also.

    Please also view the new pictures posted under Gallery.

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  • NZ Herald | New Caledonia | Nurse | DEBRA

      3 November 2018
    Main image

    NZ Herald

    After the tremendous response by the public last weekend over the NZ Herald article, an update was published this morning which you can read here:

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/health/news/article.cfm?c_id=204&objectid=12152662

    New Caledonia

    There are many risks currently for Micheline in terms of her current state. The biggest challenge we are facing right now, is that Micheline has open wounds that require skin grafts and she needs a sterile environment to treat her auto-immune disease.

    A sterile environment is critical because to treat her condition, her immune system needs to be significantly suppressed. This treatment has started but it requires much more auto-immune suppression and a higher dose of steroids.

    A non-sterile environment poses new risks to her health and survival. This can reliably be provided in a western hospital.

    In addition, there are critical tests that can’t be performed in Vila as well as specialist evaluation of her current state.

    We have tried to get her transferred to New Zealand, however, spaces in hospitals are limited and there are no organisations currently supporting our call for help.

    However, a specialized hospital in New Caledonia has offered to take her immediately for a month, at approximately NZD$50,000 cost which includes all medical care, tests, surgery etc. There will be additional costs for us for flights, and we are currently talking to airlines for financial assistance with flights. It's possible that she may be able to fly out as early as next week.

    We have also secured a specialist aid nurse from Switzerland who has changed her plans from going to Africa the end of this year and instead will come to this part of the world first and support Micheline’s recovery from end of November for 3 months. This really is amazing support for us.

    Our hope is that by the end of January 2019, Micheline’s auto-immune disorder is under control with an appropriate treatment plan and medication and that her skin can fully recover.

    We are also hoping that she will be strong enough to be able to walk again through extensive rehabilitation and her body weight is back in normal range.

    DEBRA

    This is a long term commitment by us; we are not letting her down and there are many kind people around us providing support which we are incredibly grateful for. We wanted to mention the organisation DEBRA whose NZ nurses have helped us here in Vila a couple of weeks ago. DEBRA Australia has sent us a second parcel with dressing supplies. We have been critically running low and this has been incredibly helpful. Thank you, DEBRA!

    Ongoing

    We are in need for ongoing funds and have been reaching out to the public to help support Micheline.

    Thanks to all of you again for your support over the last week. We can now proceed with next steps and get care outside of Vanuatu. This is a major milestone for us.

    Please spread the word

    We appreciate if you could please talk about this to others and pass on the link to this site within your own networks. Any amount is much appreciated; it all adds up and enables us to proceed with next steps.

    Gallery

    There have been new pics uploaded and please note, Micheline's face looks swollen due to water retention as a result of the steroids she is taking. She has started smiling much more and was able to go outside for the first time the other day. It's amazing what has been achieved in the last 5 weeks since we found her.

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  • Thank You! Thank You! | Marine Reach | Developments

      29 October 2018
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    Thank You! Thank You! -

    New Zealanders and the world! On Saturday, the NZ Herald published our story:

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/national-video/news/video.cfm?c_id=1503075&gal_cid=1503075&gallery_id=199895

    We were so humbled by the immediate responses and generosity we received from you; it exceeded all our expectations.

    We want you to know how much all your comments and donations mean to us. We read every single one of them; and even though we can't respond to all of you, please know that your words, encouragement and support has fueled our strength and energy to keep going on this quest. Thank you!!

    Marine Reach -

    We would like to tell you about an organisation called Marine Reach from Tauranga who are doing incredible work in Vanuatu.

    https://mrmdts.org/vanuatu/

    When they learned about Micheline's case, they immediately provided us with a team to support us and also help us with the dressing changes.

    The team includes:

    + Dr Sebastian - a Pediatrician from Vienna (pic where he washes Micheline and checks her wounds)

    + Claire & Brady

    + Dr Adrian - providing daily phone guidance via Tauranga

    + There are other volunteers that come to hospital every day to read, sing and talk to Micheline.

    These wonderful people have been instrumental to the healing successes we have achieved over the last 2 weeks, and we can't express enough how grateful we are for all the care they have provided for Micheline.

    Developments -

    (1) We have some great news! Through our European networks, we made contact with a nurse from Switzerland who has extensive aid work experience in Africa but is also highly qualified especially around burn victims.

    Her name is also Nicole, and she is currently working at the Uniklinic Hospital in Zurich. She has agreed to come to Vanuatu the end of November to take full time care of Micheline for 3 months. Nicole also has fantastic medical networks throughout Germany and Switzerland and will be able to get advise from specialist units as required.

    This is an incredible milestone for us in securing additional continuous medical care while we are still working to get Micheline into an overseas hospital.

    (2) Micheline's weight has now increased to 25kg! Her appetite is ever increasing, too and she is able to eat and drink now without any assistance from us.

    The days can be long for her and her need of being more stimulated is becoming more apparent.

    Tobias even did some basic maths with her the other day which she very much seemed to enjoy. :-)

    The mattress seems to be helpful, but her massive pressure sore at the bottom of her spine has become a challenge as it is not improving.

    The rest of her skin is definitely getting better.

    (3) We change her dressings every 2 days. Micheline gets a small amount of morphein to help her with the anxiety and pain this causes her. She can handle it much better now. Dressing materials are running critically low.

    Nicole from Switzerland has been in touch with the Swiss manufacturer Ialugen who has kindly offered to supply dressings for free. We are very thankful to Nicole for organizing this. These will be dispatched on Tuesday. In addition, we are trying to source a large supply of these specialised dressings, as we go through a lot of these.

    They are incredibly expensive and through our worldwide contacts we are hoping to get access to wholesale supplies. Your donations will assist funding these.

    Please keep an eye on our Gallery as we will be adding photos as they come through.

    Thanks again to all of you!

    Nicole & Tobias

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  • Song of Hope

      24 October 2018

    A local Christian support group come to the hospital to sing for Micheline in her native language.

    Micheline has been very quiet in general, but when she started singing, it was an emotional moment for us all. It's was very moving - a song of hope....

    You can watch this beautiful moment; we have attached the movie to this post.

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  • Passports | Mattress | Exhaustion

      23 October 2018
    Main image

    We had some milestones today, but also the painful reality of changing dressings....

    Passports -

    With huge efforts getting birth certificates, Tobias finally managed to get passports for Micheline and her dad this week. "We are ready, when you are ready"! We can travel now when Micheline is accepted into a hospital overseas. There is lots of work going on in the background to make this happen, but it is complicated and unfortunately takes time.

    Mattress -

    This has been a god sent. We have been looking at buying a specialised pressure air mattress from oveseas to relieve Micheline's pressure sores (one is so bad it has gone through to her bone). A wonderful Doctor in Vanuatu happened to have a fully functional, perfect pressure air mattress and has lent it to Micheline. We are incredibly grateful. It will help her healing tremendously.

    Exhaustion -

    Every 2 days Micheline has to go through the horrendous ordeal of having her dressings changed. It takes 5 hours and is painful beyond imagination. Even though she is given morphine to alleviate some pain, she cries so much until she doesn't have any tears left. It's incredibly sad. Tobias is always there for support together with Bradly from the organisation Marine Reach and the lovely and caring nurse Jaqueline; they managed to complete the task once again. Thanks so much to Bradly and Jaqueline for their caring hands.

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